Self-lighting cigarettes



1955 D. R. MABRY 2,724,388

SELF-LIGHTING CIGARETTES Filed July e.- 1951 INVENTOR DELORD R. MABRY,

BY 6/2,, fla W r/1% ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice 2,724,388 Patented Nov. 22, 1955 SELF-LIGHTING CIGARETTES Delord R. Mabry, New Orleans, La.

Application July 6, 1951, Serial No. 235,435

2 Claims. (Cl. 131--7) This invention relates to cigarettes, and more particularly to self-lighting cigarettes.

It has heretofore been proposed to mount a match head in one end of a cigarette, so that the cigarette may be lighted by striking and igniting the match head in the usual way. Objection has beenfound to such an arrangement because of the fact that the flame provided by the burning match head sometimes is not sumcient to properly light the cigarette.

An object of the present invention is therefore to provide, in addition to the match head, supplemental 1gnitable material, set off by the match head, for prolonging and increasing the amount of flame available, so as to ensure proper lighting of the tobacco. To this end, the invention contemplates the provision of a layer of ignitable material on the paper wrapper in a. zone surrounding the match head.

Objection has also been found to self-lighting cigarettes of: the above type because of the fact that the fumes from burning match compound and match stems, if drawn into the mouth, have a disagreeable taste. I obviate this objection by associating with the match head and stem a material which will counteract and eliminate any such bad taste, namely ordinary sugar.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which:

Fig. l is a view of my improved paper wrapper before being used;

Fig. 2 is a side view of a cigarette made from this wrapper;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of a match head such as I employ;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through the match head and portion of stem showing the novel insert which I employ;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section through one end of the cigarette illustrated in Fig. 2 and showing the match head in elevation embedded therein; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a cigarette package, parts being broken away to show the cigarettes therein.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the usual cigarette paper or wrapper is indicated at 1, and the tobacco filling at 2.

In accordance with the invention, I insert into the one end of the cigarette a match head 3 together with a short section or portion 4 of the usual wooden stem or stick to which the match head is secured.

In order to counteract the disagreeable taste of fumes and gases given off by the burning match head and wooden stem, I provide a pocket in the end of the match .head extending longitudinally down into the stick, and fill this pocket with sugar syrup or sugar moistened with water, thus forming a plug 6 of sugar as shown in Fig. 4.

The end of the stem portion 4 is trimmed or tapered to a point as shown in Fig. 4, and in order to provide further protection against the fumes of burning wood, I preferably coat the tapered end of the stick 4 with a layer of sugar 5.

Fig. 5 shows the appearance of the completed head and stem after it has been placed in position in the end of a cigarette. It will be noted that the end of the match head projects slightly beyond the end of the cigarette.

The usual or any desired type of package is illustrated at 8 in Fig. 6 and, as shown in this figure, a striker 9 is secured to the outside of the package at any convenient place as for example, on one side edge.

It will of course be understood that the match head 3 above referred to is of the safety type, preferably comprising a mixture of potassium chlorate and sulphur so that it will not be ignited by the operation of drilling into it to form the sugar receiving pocket. Consequently, the striker 9 is of the chemical type, comprising, for example, a mixture of red phosphorus and powdered glass, with a binder, so that the match head 3 will ignite when rubbed on the striker.

In order to increase the amount of flame available when the match head is ignited, and thus ensure the proper lighting of the tobacco, I preferably dip one end of the paper 1 into a suitable match compound such as above described in the form of a liquid or paste so that the eX- treme end of the paper becomes impregnated or coated with a strip of this match compound as shown at 7 in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. When the paper is rolled to form the cigarette, it will be seen that this strip of match compound lies in a zone immediately surrounding the match head.

When it is desired to light the cigarette the match head embedded therein is simply struck against the striker 9 and is thus ignited. In burning, it ignites the match compound 7 and this assists in properly lighting the tobacco of the cigarette. As the match head and stick portion burn, the sugar embedded in and coating these parts overcomes and eliminates any bad taste which might otherwise be caused by the fumes from the burning match head and wood.

What I claim is:

1. A cigarette having an assembly comprising a match head and portion of a wooden match stem embedded in the tobacco at one end of the cigarette, said head and stem assembly having embodied therein a suflicient amount of sugar to substantially counteract the disagreeable taste of the fumes given ofi by said head and stem when burned.

2. A cigarette having a match head and short section of a wooden match stem partially covered thereby embedded in the tobacco at one end of the cigarette, said stem comprising a portion not covered by said head, said stem having a pocket therein containing sugar, and the portion thereof not covered by said head being coated with sugar, the amount of sugar present being sufficient to substantially counteract the disagreeable taste of the fumes given 01f by said head and stem when burned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 16,200 Surgey Dec. 9, 1856 67,276 Dondes July 30, 1867 196,062 Whiteman Oct. 9, 1877 252,437 DCosta Jan. 17, 1882 408,442 Stevens Aug. 6, 1889 623,233 Buxton Apr. 18, 1899 1,787,650 Winter Jan. 6, 1931 2,040,733 Fox May 12, 1936 2,163,009 Pratt June 20, 1939 2,347,832 Klein May 2, 1944 2,493,832 Raffa Q. Jan. 10, 1950 

